Texas - Superdrome Resurfacing Project

http://www.superdrome.com/images/DSC02523.JPG
We need all the help we can get. If you have always wanted to see the track, or have been out to watch and thought about doing more... this is your chance to get involved. The complete schedule is posted HERE (http://www.superdrome.com/). Unlike the photo above, we'll be replacing every single board on the track.

Contact information is listed along with just about everything you need to know. This is a huge project, I cannot stress enough how much we'll appreciate any and all help. The work isn't easy, but it is a great way to give back to the bicycling community in Texas.

Best of all, you can come back for plenty of exciting racing throughout 2009 and have a look (or a ride!) knowing that you helped make it possible! Here's the link (http://www.superdrome.com/) again, hope to see you all soon!

I already confirmed for this Saturday afternoon, and will do as many Saturday afternoons as my schedule allows. The faster this project gets completed, the faster we all can be back out there racing and training.

allow some recumbent events and I can get an entire crew there to help!

Yah I'm going to try to show up either Sat or Sun.

Marty

allow some recumbent events and I can get an entire crew there to help!

I've never seen a fixed gear bent... that might be cool.

Well, fixed gear on bents has been done, but it's only for a kick.

Thankfully all velodromes in Europe and most here in the states allow bents, which is why Sean Costin holds the hour record now.

All I can say about recumbent events is, contact the Superdrome Management Group (Paula, Tim, Al, etc) and pose it to them again... I can certainly inquire as well but I cannot speak to why they would not allow. Contact information for all of them is all over the website.
Honestly, the only reason I can think of for not allowing them is that the Superdrome is banked at 44 degrees. Recumbent cranks sit very low, and I can imagine there are concerns about smacking a crank. I have seen video of these types of events on a 333 meter track with lower banking, but never on a 250 like the Superdrome. From what I've seen at our track, anyone running longer than 165 cranks hits them on the track and either goes down or nearly goes down, plus it destroys the track surface... given that, I think that might be a basis for their concern.

Having said all that, please contact the management group and pose it to them again... only they can offer a true opinion on it.

Thanks to all who are coming out to help. We're stoked about the 2009 season! 2008 brought out a lot of new riders and a lot of very fast riders. Cat 3, 2 and P1 are going to be insanely fast this year. Heck, Cat4 last year was seeing packs of 16 riders! If you have yet to come out, please... make it a priority.

geared recumbents often run at encino. it's 250m but not very steep at 28º in the corners. crank strike is not a problem. most of the races are mass start or time trials so there's not much going slow in the corners. recumbent cranks are often pretty high in the air or have three wheels either one makes crank strike a non-issue

Well that was a good time. . .
I was there both Sat and Sun morning. I can now say I have truely tore up the superdrome!
And from what Tim said, this was the easy part.
I expect to see more DFW area BFers helping out in the coming weeks.

Marty

I was out there Saturday afternoon helping with the demo. A few more hands sure would have helped move things along. I think there were about 8 doing the teardown and another 8 on the dremmel/screw team on Saturday afternoon.

Here's a slide-show of the weekend's progress:
http://www.willshootphotos.com/TrackDemo/index.html

I was just at the track this evening, and the Sunday crew did a massive amount of work - looks more than 50% ripped down, maybe a bit more.

Typically the crank on a recumbent is above the front wheel in some fashion much higher then diamond frame. I have never ridden a recumbent that I couldn't pedal through curves in fact on my ride I can usually pedal when my right pedal is over a curb.
Perhaps I'm misunderstanding since I've never ridden on a superdrome but what would be too low here? (picture form horse country time trial of me getting stomped by that aikigreg fellow)
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GIFgiCQnK-8/SU_Ns1St7hI/AAAAAAAAAGw/PGrb8BjsmsY/s400/HorseCountryTimeTrial.jpg

My bad, just had a different picture of them in my head. Again, I want this thread directed to getting folks out to the Superdrome to help. If you'd like to get a race set-up I'm all for it, but I'm not the guy to talk to...

Looks like some great progress at the track! Thanks for the photos!

This is straight off of TXBRA.org:

Link to photos (http://www.willshootphotos.com/TrackDemo2/index.html)

Update for this weekends workers……The wood has arrived and we will be installing it starting Friday Night’s session and all day Saturday and Sunday.

The plan is to have enough workers to run 2 crews, 1 on the home straight, 1 on the back straight ( East Side v. West Side)….since we will be working on the straights, we will have the easier phys. Labor this weekend! Once we start in the turns, it gets a bit more physical.

The work flow will look something like this:
1. Measure the hole (measurer will be assigned and will have done it before)
2. Cut the board (Tim & Ron on the saws)
3. Paint the raw edge (this is a person’s job, they should be stationary near the cutter)
4. Carry the board to the hole (need 4-6 person carry crew for each side)
5. Caulk the edges as boards get laid
6. New Wood Process here… pre-drill hole, lube it, caulk it & screw it….
7. Screw Crew per side…screws the wood in. Screw crew will have done this before AND will get trained on the New Wood Process. For installing the screws


If you know you are coming please RSVP….it makes it easier for us to pre-plan once crew or two based on how many able bodies we have showing up and when!

Lunch will probably be grilled burgers and dogs this weekend. Drinks will be provided.

rsvp@superdrome.com (rsvp@superdrome.com)

That is an amazing slide show. And the wildlife photos are incredible. They took pictures of some sort of falcon or hawk with a rabbit he'd caught.

I missed the part with the hawk.
I'll be there again tomorrow.

Marty

Stuck thread so we can get more Texas BF'ers out to the project.
Thanks to all that helped this weekend.

Marty

Marty - Didn't get a chance to say hey today. I didn't recognize you out of your kit!! Putting boards in those turn is a bit of a bear. More hands would help!!

yah, I'm the same way. I see someone on the road I recognize them (even if I'm driving) take em
out of their kit and I haven't got a clue.

Marty

Betty and I finally made it out this weekend. I had a lot of fun lugging boards up the banking, and Betty thoroughly enjoyed playing "Thor" and setting the boards in place with a 2x4 and sledge. We've been out of town every weekend since the new year and it was real nice to catch up with friends and meet a lot of new people. My thanks to you all!

Still, we need a lot of help. We've reached the REAL banking exiting T4 and it takes 4 strong people to carry each board up and set it in place, then others to pre-drill, caulk and screw the board down before the next is dropped in place. Carrying 60 lbs of plywood up 44 degree banking is not easy... more hands would help! Come on out, it is only a few hours hard work and it helps build our bicycling community.

To put this in perspective... each board is 1.25 inches thick, 8 feet long and around 4 feet wide. The wood has been specially treated, is quite dense and very heavy... There are jobs for everyone, regardless of age and ability.

We're host to one of only two Olympic length velodromes in the country, please help us continue developing the track and keep it growing. Even if you don't plan to come out and race, the track is available for training, entertainment and education. Please come out and support the community!

To put this in perspective... each board is 1.25 inches thick, 8 feet long and around 4 feet wide. The wood has been specially treated, is quite dense and very heavy... There are jobs for everyone, regardless of age and ability.

And I believe each board weighs about 120 pounds

Ok who's in for this weekend???

(and I highly recommend the chicken sandwich).

Wednesday night went very well. A number of board were set in at the low side (board A) all the way into turn three. When I got there after work we dropped in several top rows (boards B & C) by 9pm when things stopped.

They're seeking a large crew for this weekend to get four and three finished, plus get a second crew working on the back stretch. Things are going very well and it is great to see more new faces out helping with construction. I plan to be out for part of Sunday, perhaps with some family in tow that is in from out of town.

If you can make it out, please stop in and lend a hand. Now that we're into the meat of the turns 4/3 complex, there's nothing like running a 100+ lb piece of plywood up 44 degree banking! Seriously, bring shoes with some sticky rubber.

Sorry I couldn't make Wednesday - I had some items to clear before the Lago weekend. I'm planning to be out there next Wednesday evening (since the following weekend is more racing). After that, I should be there most all Saturday afternoons until the project is completed.

From the Frisco Cycling Club newletter:

300 Boards To GO! (as of Tues march 2 )

So far we have installed 408 of the 708 boards. This leaves 300 to go!. We are at the back straights'
Pursuit Line, working into turn 2, then 1 then s/f line. Last weekend (from T4 on) we only drilled the 4
corners, so we have a whole bunch of nails to drill in and edges & nail heads to caulk, so the next 2 work
parties are pure TRACK PREPPING only. Once we get that all caught up, we will on Friday run 1 crew
installing boards and the rest of the peep's will start painting at Home Straight on through T4 /
T3....back straight, etc.

Friday 3-9PM........Installing Boards and Painting
1 crew Painting the prepped track starting at the Start/Finish line.
1 crew installing boards at back straight into turn 2/turn 1...to be continued

Saturday & Sunday 8am-4pm......Installing Boards and Painting
1 crew Painting the prepped track starting at the Start/Finish line.
1 crew installing boards at back straight into turn 2/turn 1...to be continued

So who's coming out this evening or this weekend???

The track was finished Saturday / Sunday morning and while there is still some signage to be hung we did ride the track on Sunday. A few impressions...

Quiet: The track that is... The only thing I could here was my chain creaking and my wheels going *whish* through the air!

Smooth: The surface is incredible. I rode some odd lines when alone on the track and you cannot feel any seams. Down in the lane it is very smooth and riding the edge of the Cote de Azure is easy. The bike tracks beautifully on the surface.

The odd thing is that the track is so quiet (right now anyway) that you really cannot hear anyone coming up on you, nor can they hear you when you attack. I think the loudest sound was the tires gripping the surface!

All in all the track (http://shop.willshootphotos.com/gallery/7692633_GokDd#496966490_VVNTm) looks incredible, too. I have a very good feeling about the coming season and hope to see a lot of folks out for practice and racing!

Link to photos at WillShootPhotos.com (http://shop.willshootphotos.com/gallery/7692633_GokDd#496966490_VVNTm)

Lotek (http://shop.willshootphotos.com/gallery/7692633_GokDd#496977900_DFvRL-L-LB) on his beautiful steel track bike!
Walt (http://shop.willshootphotos.com/gallery/7692633_GokDd#496980800_iEg4N-XL-LB) from McKinney Velo
And, a shameless plug for myself (http://shop.willshootphotos.com/gallery/7692633_GokDd#496994325_PwAC6-L-LB).

Thanks Greg, at least you didn't link to the picture of me on the apron with my chain
hanging down and wrapped in the stays.

the track is spooky quiet. I walked down the tunnel and thought no one was riding, there
were 4 bikes on the track. . .

Marty